PITTSBURGH, Dec. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- University students are designing transport pods for the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition that could contribute to the future of high-speed transportation by leveraging the power of engineering simulation from ANSYS (ANSS: NASDAQ).

The Hyperloop is a concept for a revolutionary new high-speed system, where passengers travel in low-pressure tubes at speeds over 700 miles per hour. To accelerate the development of a functional Hyperloop prototype, SpaceX created the Hyperloop Pod Competition, geared toward university students and independent engineering teams.

As part of the contest, ANSYS is providing teams with its leading engineering simulation software solutions and technical support to students from its industry experts. Teams will have broad access to the ANSYS® portfolio, including structures, fluids, electromagnetics and systems that will enable them to push the limits of the engineering development process and virtually predict real world outcomes quickly and reliably.

"It is very exciting to partner with SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition and witness students drive technology innovation at the same level as leading edge commercial product companies," said Mark Hindsbo, vice president of marketing, ANSYS. "We truly believe in the power of the next generation of engineers and are happy to be able to provide them with the tools that can help bring their ideas to life."

"The Hyperloop Pod Competition is unparalleled because nothing to this scale has ever been attempted before," said Paul Witsberger, senior at the College of Engineering, Purdue University Hyperloop team. "The Hyperloop Pod Competition enables us to take a novel approach to solve some of the most challenging engineering problems facing the Hyperloop and push the boundaries of design, taking this innovative concept to the next level."

"This competition is an unprecedented opportunity for us to gain hands-on experience with a design-build project involving nearly every engineering discipline," said Alex DeClue, program manager, University of Southern California Hyperloop team. "The Hyperloop Pod Competition pushes us to address in-depth and unique engineering, program management and social challenges that we're confident we can solve that will bring us one step closer to making futuristic transportation a reality."

Selected teams will build a physical prototype and test it next summer on a one-mile Hyperloop test track that SpaceX is constructing near its Hawthorne, California, headquarters.

About ANSYS, Inc.

ANSYS is the global leader in engineering simulation. We bring clarity and insight to our customer's most complex design challenges through the broadest portfolio of fast, accurate and reliable simulation tools. Our technology enables organizations in all industries to imagine high-quality, innovative and sustainable product designs that have an accelerated time to market. Founded in 1970, ANSYS employs almost 3000 professionals, more than 700 of them with PhDs in engineering fields such as finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, electronics and electromagnetics, embedded software, system simulation and design optimization. Headquartered south of Pittsburgh, U.S.A., ANSYS has more than 75 strategic sales and development locations throughout the world with a network of channel partners in 40+ countries. Visit www.ansys.com for more information.

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